Golf ball teeing device



March 27, 1934. c, c, BECKETT GOLF BALL TEEING DEVICE Filed NOV. 22.1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Clay (1 3261 2271 March 27, 1934. c, c, BECKETTGOLF B ALL TEEING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Clay (1eel Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,952,113 GOLFBALL TEEING DEVICE Clay 0. Beckett, Chicago, Ill. Application November22, 1932, Serial No. 643,935 Claims. (01. 273-33) Golf players find itdesirable to practice drivguide sleeve adapted to be released in advanceing balls on special fields or courses commonly of the lowering of thetee by the operation of the known as stop and sock fields. On suchfields, actuating mechanism employed for the raising of large quantitiesof golf balls are driven from the tee andthe guide sleeve.

5 tees requiring that the player repeatedly bend It is an importantobject of this invention to over to tee the balls. provide an improvedtype of golf ball teeing de- The present invention relates to animproved vice adapted to be buried in the ground beneath golf ballteeing device adapted to be buried in the teeing pad, said teeing deviceincludingacomthe ground at a teeing position with only a foot binationtee and ball guide, with the tee movably l0 operated control memberprojecting above the mounted to control the operation of a golf ballground tobe operated by a player whereby a golf feed mechanism. The teeis actuated by a control ball is elevated on a tee and within a guidesleeve mechanism for elevating the tee and actuating which is adapted tobe automatically released by the guide or retaining sleeve to preventfalling of afurther operation of the control member allowa golf ball offof the tee during the elevation 5 ing the guide to drop downwardly outof view, thereof into ateeing position, said control mechpermitting thetee to remain projected with the anism furthermore including a releasedevice golf ball seated thereon in position to be driven whereby theretaining or guide sleeve is permitted therefrom by the player. to dropinto an out of the way position independ- It is an object of thisinvention to provide a ently of the tee to expose the ball in a position0 golf ball teeing device including a movable tee permitting the ball tobe played prior to the and a golf ball guide which are adapted to belowering of the tee when the control mechanism elevated by the operationof a'control mechais released. nism which may be pivotally adjusted tocause- Another important object of the invention is to automatic releaseof the guide without releasing provide an improved golf ball teeingdevice 2 the tee on which an elevated golf ball is in posiwherein thegolf ball feed mechanism is con- 0 tion to be driven from the tee.trolled by means of a reciprocating tee operable It is also an object ofthis invention to provide by a control mechanism including means forelean improved golf ball teeing device wherein a vating a guard sleevefor retaining a golf ball golf ball retaining means is elevated with atee in position during the elevation of the tee, said 33 and is adaptedto be returned into a hidden posicontrol mechanism adapted to be movedinto a 5 tion without disturbing the elevated position of lockedposition for retaining the elevated tee in the tee or a golf ballcarried thereon. a set position of adjustment and simultaneously It is afurther object of this invention to procausing release of the elevatedguide sleeve pervide an improved golf ball teeing device includmittingthe same to drop into an out of the way 55 ing a tee and a guide whichare mounted for position to allow the golf ball to be played aftertelescopic movement with respect to one another which the controlmechanism is released permitby means of a control member which isselectively ting the elevated tee to drop back into normal operable tosimultaneously elevate the tee and the position to receive the next golfball from the guide, and then cause release of the guide and golf ballfeed mechanism.

the tee independently of one another. Other and further importantobjects of this 9 It is furthermore an important object of thisinvention will be apparent from the disclosures invention to provide animproved golf ball teeing in the specification and the accompanyingdevice wherein a foot operated control mechanism drawings. isselectively operable to simultaneously raise a The invention in apreferred form is illustrated 43 tee and a golf ball guide, and thenrelease the in the drawings. and hereinafter more fully de- 00 guide topermit driving of a golf ball elevated by scribed. the tee, said footoperated control means being On the drawings: adjustable for varying theheight to which the tee- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a golf ballteeing is adapted to be elevated. device, embodying the principles ofthis inven- LJ It is furthermore an object of this invention to tionillustrating the major portion of the device provide an improved type ofgolf ball teeing deburied in the ground and showing the relative vice,wherein a golf ball feed mechanism is conpositions of the golf ballmagazine, the teeing trolled by the movement of a movable tee havingplate and the upper end of the tee actuating associated therewith aguide sleeve which is eledevice. vated with the upward movement of thetee, said Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on lines II-II ofFigure l with the operating mechanisms shown in elevation and partly insection, in their normal released position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed section taken on lines IIIIII ofFigure 2 illustrating the looking arrangement for the foot operatedcontrol device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view similar tothat illustrated in Fig; ure 2, with parts broken away'and showing thetee in its elevated position and illustrating the raised position of theguide sleeve in dotted lines, and the lowered position of the sleeve infull lines to permit playing of the teed golf ball.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the tee raising end ofthe tee operating means together with the guide sleeve control meanscarried by the tee operating means.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal detailed section taken on line VI-VIof Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an-elevational view of the upper end of the tee when inraised position showing its relation to the teeing plate which is posi--tioned to obviate striking of the upper portion of the supporting baseofthe 'tee on which the ball supporting tubular tee is supported.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a golf green having seated in the topsurface thereof a teeing pad or plate 2 constructed of fiber board,heavy fabric, rubber or the like and having a slot 3 disposedlongitudinally in one end thereof. Positioned beneath the teeing pad orplate 2 is a lower plate or pad 4 having a round opening thereinpositioned directly-beneath the inner end of the slot 3.

The golf ball teeing device proper comprises a housing or casing 5 whichis adapted to be buried in the ground beneath the green 1 as illustratedin Figure 2. Provided on the top near one end of the casing 5 is a tubeor collar 6, the upper end of which projects slightly above the greensurface, and is slightly inclined upwardly in a direction towards theteeing plate 2 to form the upper inclined edge '7 as illustrated inFigure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the tube or collar 6 is preferably ofrectangular cross section and is elongated to permit operation of acontrol or operating plunger or stem consisting of an enlarged plungerrod or shaft 8 of round cross section, the upper portion of which is ofreduced diameter to provide a neck or stem 9 terminating at its upperend in a head or foot pedal 10. By reducing the diameter of the neck orstem 9, a stop shoulder 11 is provided at the upper end of the enlargedlower section of the plunger or shaft 8. As illustrated in Figure 3, thetop wall of the casing 5 is provided with a key slot surrounded by thetube 6. The key slot comprises an enlarged round end 12 and an elongatedor narrow slot section 13. The plunger or shaft 8 is positioned tonormally project slidably through the enlarged portion 12 of the keyslot to position the foot pedal or head 10 in an elevated position asillustrated in Figure 2 ready for operation by a golf players foot. Thelower or inner end of the plunger or shaft 8 is of reduced diameter andis externally threaded to form a screw 14. The screw portion 14 of theplunger shaft is threaded into a coupling 15 which is pivotally mountedon one end of a fulcrumed beam or lever 16. The beam 16 is fulcrumed orpivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the lower end of a link 17,the upper end of which is pivotally supported on a bracket secured onthe inner surface of the top plate of the casing 5.

For the purpose of preventing accidental rotation of the control shaft8, said shaft has a notch 19 provided near the lower end thereof toafford a flat surface against which the upper end of a strap spring 20engages. The lower end of the strap spring 20 is rigidly secured to thecoupier l5.

Slidably around the lower portion of the con trol shaft 8 is the loopedend of a connecting rod 21, the opposite end of which is pivotallyconnected to the upper end of a trip arm 22 which is pivotally mountedintermediate its ends on a bracket 23 secured on the inner surface ofthe top wall of the casing 5.

Shiftably mounted on the beam or lever 16 is a saddle or carriage 24having integrally formed on one end thereof a tall or flange 25 which isadapted to be elevated into the field of operat'on of the trip arm 22when the control shaft 8 is depressed as illustrated in Figure 4 toraise the saddle supporting end of the beam or lever 16. When thecontrol shaft 8 is moved from the dotted line position into-the fullline position of Figure 4, the trip arm 22 is moved from the dotted lineposit.on into the full line position thereby causing the carriage 24 tobe slidably moved into a release position as illustrated in full linesin Figure 4. For returning the carriage 24 from the full line positionto the dotted line position, one end of a control spring 26 is connectedto the lower portion of the carriage while the second end of the controlspring 26 is secured to a hook 2'7 fastened to the bottom surface of thefulcrumed beam 16. Also engaged on the hook 27 is the upper end of acoiled spring 28, the lower end of which is secured to the bottom of thecasing 5. The spring 28 is provided for the purpose of assisting in thelowering of the carriage carrying end of the beam 16 and the elevatingback into normal position of the operating shaft 8 when said shaft ismoved from the full line position of Figure 4 into the dotted lineposition, which movement of the shaft causes the shoulder 11 of theshaft to be moved away from underneath the restricted slot 13 of the-key slot and into register with the enlarged portion 12 of the key slotthereby releasing the shaft from its lowered position and permittingelevation or return of normal operating position.

Integrally formed on the upper end of the saddle or carriage 24 is adeflected neck piece or flange 29 on the outer end of which is hingedlymounted a control blade or tongue 30 which is adapted to be slidablymoved upon the top surface of the beam 16 into and out of operatingposition with the slidable movement of the saddle or carriage 24 on thebeam 16. For the purpose of preventing the control blade 30 fromswinging upwardly beyond a desired distance with the downward movementof the carriage carrying end of the beam 16, a resilient stop isprovided in the form of a strap spring 31, one end of which is securedto the top of the saddle or carriage 24 while the free end of the strapspring projects upwardly beyond the hinged or pivoted end of the controlblade 30 as clearly illustrated in Figure 5 so that the projecting endof the blade 31 will serve as a resilient stop for the pivoted blade 30.

Rigidly secured or formed on one end of the the shaft upwardly into itshousing 5 is a cylindrical auxiliary housing 32 which is provided with alongitudinally disposed the auxiliary housing32 as clearly illustratedin Figure 4. The auxiliary housing 32 extends downwardly below the lowerend of the main housing 5 and is provided with a base plate or foot 34'which closes the lower-end of the auxiliary housing.32 to permitthedevice to be properly anchored in the ground. Secured on the upper endof theauxiliary, housing 32 is a collar 35 having a plurality of spacedguide tabs 36 integrally formed on the upper edge thereof. The guidetabs 36 are bent inwardly and downwardly into the upper end of theauxiliary housing 32. The guide tabs 36 are so positioned that they fitinto a plurality of longitudinal guide grooves or slots 37 provided in agolf ball retaining or guard sleeve 38 which is telescopicallypositioned within the upper portion of the auxiliary housing 32. Theretaining or guard sleeve 38 normally is in the lowered full lineposition as illustrated in Figure 4 with the upper end thereof flushwith the upper end of the auxiliary housing 32. In addition to the slots37 the retaining or guard sleeve 38 is provided with a narrow slot 39which extends downwardly and terminates in a wide slot 40 providingshoulders 41.-

Slidably mounted within the auxiliary housing 32 is a tee base orplunger 42. The tee plunger 42 is closed at its upper end and supports aflexible tubular tee 43. Provided in one side of the tee plunger 42 is aslot 44 which is open at its lower end and extends upwardly to abouttwothirds of the length of the tee plunger. Also provided in the teeplunger 42 opposite the slot 44 is a longitudinally disposed slot 45which extends upwardly from the lower end of the plunger to a point nearthe upper end of the tee plunger as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. Theouter surface of the tee plunger 42 is provided with a curved notch 46as illustrated in Figure 5 to permit the control blade 30 to projectthrough the enlarged lower slot 40 of the guard sleeve 38 to permitelevation of the guard sleeve at a predetermined time in the elevationof the tee plunger 42 as hereinafter more fully described. One end ofthe operating leveror beam 16 projects through the slot 33 in theauxiliary housing 32 and through the tee plunger slot 45 into theinterior of the tee plunger to permit the hooked end 47 of the lever orbeam 16 to be engaged on a diametrically positioned pin 48 which issecured through the tee plunger to permit raising of the tee plunger.

Buried in the green. 1 at any suitable distance from the teeing plate 2.is a golf ball receiving hopper or bucket 49 having a spiral bottom 50to afford a runway for golf balls to permit the golf balls to be feddownwardly through an outlet 51 which directs the golf balls 52 in acontinuous row into a feed chute or pipe 53 which connects the hopper 49with the auxiliary housing 32.

The golf ball feed control mechanisms are mounted in a protecting box orcasing 54 which is removably secured on one side of the auxiliaryhousing 32 beneath the golf ball feed chute or pipe 53 as clearlyillustrated in Figure 2. A golf ball feed control arm 55 is fulcrumedintermediate its ends in the box 54 and has one end thereof projectingthrough a slot in the auxiliary housing 32 and into the slot 44 of thetee plunger 42. Pivotally connected to the control arm 55 to one side ofthe pivot pin thereof is the lower end of a golf ball control rod orstem 56,the upper portion of which slidably projects through a guidesleeve 5'7 to permit the upper end of the rod 56 to be projected intothe golf ball feed chuteor pipe 53 to serve as a stop for the golfballs. Pivotally connected to the control arm 55 is the lower end of agolf ball control rod or stem 58, the upper end of which projectsslidably through a guide sleeve 59 into the golf ball feed chute or pipe53 to serve as a stop for the supply of golf balls in the chute when thecontrol rod 56 is in its lowered position to permit the lowermost golfball to be fed into position upon the tee 43 as' illustrated in Figure'2. A coil spring 60 is wound around the rod or stem 58. The lower endof the control spring 60 seats against a stop pin or washer fastenednear the lower end of the rod 58 while the upper end of the spring abutsagainst the lower end of the guide sleeve 59. The

spring 60 is provided for the purpose of causing the control rod or stem56 to be projected upwardly into the golf ball feed chute 53 when thetee plunger 42 is elevated after the lowermost golf ball has beenpermitted to drop from the chute 53 onto the tee 43. With the elevationof the feed control rod 56, the control rod 58 is of course lowered topermit the supply of golf balls in the chute 53 to advance downwardly topermit the next golf ball to be advanced into position ready to be fedonto the tee 43 when the stem 56 is in its lowermost position.

The operation is as follows:

The improved golf ball teeing device is adaptable for use in golf balldriving practice fields and is adapted to be buried in the ground asillustrated in Figures 1 and 2 beneath a driving pad or plate 2 with theupper end of the tube or neck 6 projecting slightly above the topsurface of the green and with the golf ball bucket or hopper 49positioned in a convenient location to permit a quantity of golf ballsto be deposited therein, in order to permit the golf balls to be fed oneat a time to the teeing device.

A quantity of golf balls 52 when deposited in the hopper 49 feeddownwardly by gravity and roll into the golf ball feed chute 53 which isinclined downwardly towards the auxiliary housing 32 and provides a rowor line of golf galls ready to be fed to the tee one at a time.Normally, the operating mechanisms are in the position illustrated inFigure 2 with the foot pedal 10 in its elevated position, and with thetee 43 in its lowermostposition permitting the first golf ball in thelower end of the chute 53 to roll into the auxiliary housing 32 and intoposition upon the golf ball seat provided on the upper end of the tee43.

A player desiring to operate the device has merely to step upon the footpedal 10 and push downwardly on the stem to lower the shaft 8 into thedotted line position of Figure 4 thereby causing the lever or beam 16 tobe actuated to swing the hooked end upwardly towards the full lineposition of Figure 4. With the upward movement of the hooked end of thelever 16, the tee plunger 42 is gradually moved upwardly in theauxiliary housing 32 thereby releasing the control arm 55 of the golfball feed mechanism whereby the control spring 60 acts to move the stoprod 58 downwardly simultaneously with the upward movement of the stoprod 56 thereby allowing the golf balls in the chute to move downwardlyuntil the lowermost golf ball comes into contact with the upper end ofthe raised stop rod 56.

With the elevation of the hooked end of the lever 16, the end of thecontrol blade 30 is moved upwardly into the enlarged slot 40. When thecontrol blade 30 reaches the shoulders 41 at the lower end of therestricted slot 39 in the guard reaches its uppermost position asillustrated in Figure 4, the upper portion of the guard sleeve 38projects upwardly above the top surface of the teeing plate 2. It willthus be noted that during the elevationof a golf ball from the lowermostposition of the tee plunger 42 to the uppermost position thereof thegolf ball supported on the upper end of the flexible tee 43 is preventedfrom rolling oil" of the tee.

To permit access to be had to the teed golf ball the footpedallflismoved from the dotted line position of Figure 4 into the full lineposition thereby causing operation of the connecting rod 21 which inturn causes pivotal swinging of the fulcrumed control arm 22 to causethe same to co-act with the tail piece of the carriage 24 to slide thesame from the dotted line position of Figure 4 into the full lineposition to retract the control blade outwardly from beneaththe'shoulders 41 of the guard sleeve 38. The guard sleeve 38 is thusreleased by the control blade and drops downwardly from the dotted lineposition of Figure 4 into the auxiliary housing 32 while the flexibletee 43 and the golf ball 52 supported thereon remain in elevatedposition. When the control shaft 8 is swung from the dotted lineposition of Figure 4 into the full line position. the reduced upper stemportion 9 of the shaft moves into the restricted portion 13 of the keyslot provided in the top plate of the housing 5 so that the shoulder 11of the said shaft is moved into locking position beneath the top plateof the housing thereby locking the tee elevating mechanism in positionwith the tee 43 in its raised position supporting a golf ball 52 on theupper end thereof ready to permit the golf ball to be driven off of thetee.

The player now moves the foot pedal 9 from its locked position over theinclined upper edge '7 of the tubular neck 6 into the dotted lineposition shown in Figure 4 thereby moving the enlarged portion of theshaft 8 into alignment with the enlarged portion 12 of the key slot.When the operators foot is removed from the foot pedal 10, the shaft 8is automatically moved upwardly into the full line position illustratedin Figure 2 by the hooked end of the lever 16 which is weighted by theweight of the saddle or carriage 24 and its parts. The downward swing ofthe weighted end of the fulcrumed 1ever16 is caused by gravity assistedwhen necessary by the coiled spring 28.

With the downward movement of the hooked end of the lever 16, the teeplunger 42 is lowered in the auxiliary housing 32 to the position illustrated in Figure 2. When the upper end of the slot 44 is reached, thetee plunger is brought into contact with one end of the golf ball feedcontrol arm to move the same from the position illustrated in Figure 4into the position illustrated in Figure 2 thereby lowering the stop rod56 to release the lowermost golf ball in the chute 53 and at the sametime causing the stop rod 58 to be elevated to stop the remaining golfballs in the chute 53 thus allowing only one golf ball at a time to befed onto the upper end of the flexible tee 43 when in its lowermostposition.

With the downward movement of the tee plunger 42 and the hooked end ofthe lever 16, the control blade 30 slides over the exterior surface ofthe guard sleeve 38 until said blade reaches the upper end of theenlarged slot 40 permitting the carriage control spring 26 to slide thecarriage from the full line position of'Figure 4 back into the dottedline position and projecting the free end of the control blade 30 intothe guard sleeve slot 40 to permit elevation of the guard sleeve 38 withthe next upward movement of the tee plunger 42.

The improved golf ball teeing device is adapted to raise golf balls oneata time into a teeing position with the raised golf ball retained inposition by means of the guard sleeve 38 which is adapted to be releasedto drop into an out of the way position permitting the teed golf ball toremain in an elevated position to permit a player to drive the golf ballfrom the tee. In the opera tion of the device, the tee plunger 42 isfirst adapted to be partially raised in the auxiliary housing 32 toproject into the guard sleeve 38 until the shoulders 41 are engaged bythe control blade 30 to cause the guard sleeve to be elevated to projecta certain distance above the upper surface of the tee plate 2. With themovement of the foot pedal 10 from the dotted line position of Figure 4into the locked full line position. the guard sleeve 38 is firstreleased to permit the golf ball to be played after which the foot pedalis returned to the dotted line position of Figure 4 thereby releasingthe raised tee 43 and its supporting plunger 42 to permit the same to belowered downwardly through the previously released guard sleeve 38 intothe lower portion of the auxiliary housing 32 to actuate the golf ballfeed control mechanism in the box 54 to permit another golf ball to befed onto the upper end of the lowered tee 43.

It will of course be understood that various details of construction maybe varied through a wide range without departing from the principles ofthis invention, and it is therefore not the purpose to limit the patentgranted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A teeing machine comprising a housing, a golf ball feed mechanismconnected therewith, a tee movably mounted in said housing andcontrolling the operation of the golf ball feed mechanism to permit golfballs to be fed to the tee one at a time, a control mechanism forraising the tee and a golf ball into a position to permit the ball to bedriven from the tee, and a golf ball guard in said'housing being movableby said control mechanism to retain the golf ball on the tee during theelevation of said tee, said control mechanism being operable to firstrelease the guard and subsequently release the tee after the raised golfball has been driven from the tee.

2. A golf ball teeing device comprising a housing, a golf ball feedmechanism connected therewith, a tee and a golf ball guard slidablymounted in said housing, the movement of said tee controlling theoperation of the golf ball feed mechanism to cause the delivery of golfballs one at a time to the tee, and a control device for raising the teeand said guard and including means for releasing the guard prior torelease of the tee to permit the raised golf ball to be driven from thetee between the release of said guard and said tee.

3. A golf ball teeing device comprising a golf ball feed mechanism, areciprocating tee means positioned to receive golf balls from the feedmechanism one at a time and raising them to a striking position, a guardmovable with said tee means for retaining a golf ball in position duringthe elevation thereof, and a plurality of control means selectivelyoperable to release the guard and said tee means in sequence.

4. A golf ball teeing device comprising a golf ball feed mechanism, atee means for controlling the operation of the golf ball feed mechanismand for receiving golf balls therefrom one at a time and raising them tostriking position, a golf ball guard means, and an operating meansincluding a control means for raising the tee means and the guard meansfor positioning a golf ball in a striking position, said control meansand operating means being operable to first cause release of the guardmeans and then cause release of the raised tee means.

5. A golf ball teeing device comprising a housing, an auxiliary housingforming a part thereof, a lever in said housing projecting into theauxiliary housing, a tee mechanism movably mounted in said auxiliaryhousing connected with the lever and operable thereby to elevate andhold a golf ball in position to be driven, a golf ball guard movablymounted in the auxiliary housing forcoaction with the tee mechanism, andcontrol means on the lever for raising the guard to project above thetee mechanism for retaining a golf ball in position during the elevationthereof, said control means being operable to release the guard inadvance of the lowering of the tee mechanism to permit the raised golfball to be driven from the tee mechanism.

6. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a golf ball feedmechanism connected therewith, a tee mechanism moi/ably mounted in saidhousing, means for actuatingthe tee mechanism to move the same intoco-acting engagement with the golf ball feed mechanism to receive a'golf ball therefrom and then raise'the golf ball above the housing intoa position to be played, a guard having telescoping engagement with thetee "mechanism, and control means for raising the guard with theelevation of the tee mechanism to retain a golf ball in position duringthe elevation thereof, said control means being operable to causerelease of the raised guard to permit the raised golf ball to be drivenfrom the tee mechanism prior to the release of the tee mechanism.

'7. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a golf ball teemechanism and a golf ball guard slidably mounted in said housing inco-acting relation with one another, and a control mechanism forelevating the tee mechanism and the guard in a predeterminded order andthen releasing the same at intervals in the reverse order.

8. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a tee mechanismand aguard slidably mounted in said housing in telescopic relation with oneanother, a lever connected with the tee mechanism for elevating the sameto raise a golf ball into an elevated position to be played, means onthe lever for moving the guard upwardly above the upper end of the teemechanism and around the golf ball being raised, and a control devicefor operating the lever and moving the means on said lever intoengagement with the guard to cause elevation o the guard, said controlmechanism being movable into a position to actuate the means on saidlever to cause release of the guard leaving the tee mechanismin'elevated position.

9. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a tee mechanismand'a guard mounted therein in telescopic relation with respect to oneanother, and a control mechanism for projecting into a positionsurrounding ball supported thereon to retain the golf ball in 'mechanismwith the guard the tee mechanism into the guard and then simultaneouslyraising the tee mechanism and said guard, said control mechanism beingoperable to simultaneously cause locking of the tee mechanism in anelevated position and release of the guard to expose the raised golfball to permit the same to be driven from the tee mechanism.

10. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a golf ball feed mechanism, atee mechanism controlling the operation of the golf ball feed mechanism,and receiving the golf balls therefrom one at a time and raising theminto striking position, a golf ball guard, and means for raising theguard with the tee mechanism and releasing the guard while the teemechanism is retained in an ele vated position to permit the raised golfball to be driven from the tee mechanism.

11. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a tee plungerslidably mounted therein, a flexible tee supported on said tee plunger,feed means controlled by the movement of the tee plunger for admitting agolf ball to seat on said flexible tee, a guard slidably mounted in saidhousing, a pivoted member in said housing connected with the'tee plungerfor raising the same, a foot operated device connected with the pivotedmember for operating-the same, a control mechanism slidably mounted onthe pivoted member for engagement with the guard to raise the same thetee and the golf elevation thereof, and means operated device forretracting position during the operable by the foot the controlmechanism on the pivoted member to release the guard to expose theraised golf ball and tee.

12. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a tee mechanism anda guard mechanism movably mounted in the housing in axial anism forraising the tee mechanism to project the same into the guard mechanismand then simultaneously continue the raising of the tee mechanism, saidcontrol mechanism being operable to lock the tee mechanism in apredetermined elevated position and simultaneouslyrcause release of theguard mechanism to permit the same to drop back into the housing toexpose the upper end of the tee mechanism until the same is released bya further operation of the control mechanism.

13. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a tee and a guardmovably mounted in said housing, and a plurality of ,control means insaid housing connected with said tee and being operable selectively toproject the tee into the guard and then simultaneously raise the tee andsaid guard to project the upper ends of the tee and the guard'above thehousing, one of said control'means being further operable to release theguard and said tee in sequence.

14. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing, a tee movablymounted therein, a lever mechanism pivotally mounted in the housing andconnected with the tee, a control shaft adjustably connected with thelever mechanism to actuate the same to cause the tee mechanism to beelevated to a predetermined height, said shaft mechanism beingadjustable for varying the height to which the tea may be elevated, aguard slidably mounted in the housing, a carriage mechanism movablymounted on the lever mechanism nor-' tion to be played, and a connectingdevice in said housing being operable by the control shaft to retractthe carriage mechanism and, allow the raised guard to drop back into thehousing without disturbing the raised position of the tee, said controlshaft further being operable to release the raised tee after the golfball has been driven off of the tee.

15. A golf ball teeing machine comprising a housing. a tee movablymounted therein, a golf ball guard movably mounted in the housing inassociated relation with the tee, a lever pivotally mounted in thehousing and connected with the tee, a shaft member connected with thelever and projecting upwardly out of the housing through a key slotprovided in the housing, said shaft member being depressible to actuatethe lever and cause the same to raise the tee to a predeterminedelevation above the housing, said shaft member being adjustable withrespect to the lever for varying the height to which the tee may beraised, a spring controlled carriage slidably mounted on the lever, acontrol blade pivotally connected to said carriage and normally held inengagement with the guard to raise the same simultaneously with theelevation of the tee by said lever, and a connecting means mounted inthe housing between the shaft member and said carriage, said shaftmember when in its depressed position being pivotally movable withrespect to the key slot to cause the connecting means to operate thecarriage to retract the control blade out of engagement with the guardto release the guard and permit the same to drop back into the housingwhile the tee remains locked in its elevated position due to theposition of the depressed control shaft and its locking engagement withthe housing, said control shaft being movable in the key slot into areleased position to permit the raised end of the lever and the tee todrop back into their normal positions while the released control shaftis projected upwardly out of the housing into position ready for thenext operation of the machine.

CLAY C. BECKETT.

